Row after row of fruit trees once spread across Santa Clara County, also known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight."

Restoring this historic landscape is the goal of a pilot project proposed by the Collaborative for a 2-acre site at the NASA Research Park.

The benefits include cost savings from reduced watering and mowing. Locally grown food generates revenue. Partnerships with organizations such as the UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems offer environmental educational opportunities for area students and the larger community.